Results 1 to 16 of 16

Thread: Remote tracers

  1. #1
    OptiBoard Apprentice
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    US
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    26

    Confused Remote tracers

    Considering getting a remote tracer for POF's. Has anyone had success with them. Do the lenses come in on size for the most part? What are your opionions and are they worth the expense?

  2. #2
    Is it November yet? Jana Lewis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Austin, Texas
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    1,504
    Quote Originally Posted by Myeyeonyou View Post
    Considering getting a remote tracer for POF's. Has anyone had success with them. Do the lenses come in on size for the most part? What are your opionions and are they worth the expense?
    I dealt with a remote tracer from a lab in Houston for about a year.

    It was a nightmare, many of the jobs came back ill fitting or mis-shaped.
    Jana Lewis
    ABOC , NCLE

    A fine quotation is a diamond on the finger of a man of wit, and a pebble in the hand of a fool.
    Joseph Roux

  3. #3
    Master OptiBoarder
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    982
    I've used one with mixed results. It worked ok, and we found that taking a c-size helped quite a bit, but in general it wasn't consistant.

  4. #4
    OptiBoard Professional Eyefish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    SC
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    161

    Thumbs up

    I have been having good luck w/mine for about three years. It was installed just before I started in this office and I believe the lab paid for it. As the should, there getting all of my lens only work. It's an Optronics 4T. Hope this helps.
    LDO, ABOC, NCLEC

    Slow down everyone your moving to fast, frames can't catch you when your moving like that!

  5. #5
    Master OptiBoarder
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    NA
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    1,255
    Quote Originally Posted by AdmiralKnight View Post
    I've used one with mixed results. It worked ok, and we found that taking a c-size helped quite a bit, but in general it wasn't consistant.
    Enthusiastic ditto on taking a C (assuming the lab cares and compares). Other than that, I rarely had problems. Just don't get stuck in the position I was in...remote tracer w/o a handstone to fix when necessary.

  6. #6
    Master OptiBoarder mshimp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    United States
    Occupation
    Optical Wholesale Lab (other positions)
    Posts
    519
    ditto on the hand edger.

  7. #7
    Rising Star OptiBoard Silver Supporter
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    il
    Occupation
    Optometrist
    Posts
    1,030
    what percentage of them could be "fixed" with a hand edger, in your experience?

  8. #8
    Master OptiBoarder
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    982
    Without a c? 80%. Easily. Even with, there were still a lot of small touches that needed to be done.

  9. #9
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter Judy Canty's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2000
    Location
    Virginia Beach, VA
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    7,482
    I began using remote tracing in 1996 and have loved it! I've only had a handful of jobs, perhaps 10 in that time that were off size. The key to success is, I believe, to calibrate the tracer every day. It was always the first thing I did after booting up the computer. Make sure the frames you're tracing are clean, especially POF's. Face junk in the eyewire will skew the tracing. Make sure the eyewires aren't rolled or distorted. But, calibration is the real key.

  10. #10
    Master OptiBoarder
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Down in a hole!
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    13,078
    I'll second Judy's excellent post. I have had a very positive experience.

  11. #11
    OptiBoardaholic Scott R's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    New Jersey
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    273
    I agree with Fezz & Judy, Keep it calabrated and clean. i also found that if it is in a tight space they over heat and the sizeing can be inconsistant.

  12. #12
    Bad address email on file
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Missouri
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    21

    Big Smile

    I also agree with miss judy. I have used one in my office now for over a year and i love it! I calibrate mine every week though.

  13. #13
    Optical Clairvoyant OptiBoard Bronze Supporter Andrew Weiss's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Brisbane,QLD, Australia
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    1,397
    I've used both an Optronics 4T and (in this office) an Essilor Phi. I agree with Judy: calibration is the key. That said, I still prefer to send some jobs off to the lab because I find they do a better job with bevel placement when they have the frame itself.

    Yes, a handstone is a necessity. I'd say about 10-15% of jobs come back slightly off-size, usually no more than .01 or .02.

    Note: if you do get an Essilor Phi, get some of the computer folks on this board to help you reprogram it. The one we have (and, I understand, all of them as shipped) works only with Essilor labs and only through VisionWeb.
    Andrew

    "One must remember that at the end of the road, there is a path" --- Fortune Cookie

  14. #14
    OptiBoard Professional Lee H's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    NC
    Occupation
    Optical Wholesale Lab (other positions)
    Posts
    108

    Have experience with 3 different tracers and:

    The Optronics 4T is by far the best available!

  15. #15
    Bad address email on file
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    midwest
    Occupation
    Optical Wholesale Lab (other positions)
    Posts
    10

    I wouldn't recommend it...

    Years ago, labs used to promote lens tracing as the future. It's one less step for the lab to do. Found they could be helpful, but inconsistent.

    Pros: able to trace POF.

    Cons: imperative that it is calibrated every day, imperative that lab is calibrating equiptment every day; leave the tracing to one person in the office (for some reason, even though these tracers are very accurate and mechanical, different persons can yield slightly different tracings, and we all know the slightest difference can be the difference between a happy and unhappy patient); fabrication technology and frame trends change so fast, the $6,000 tracer today is worth nothing in a few years; even if you're not buying the tracer and your lab is giving it to you, you will be then locked into sending them all your work for ___ years...you should send your work to the lab that does the best job, and not have to send your work to the lab that gave you a tracer.

    Best advice: use a lab that embraces archiving database shapes electronically and maintains it daily.

    For POF: explain to them that, as their Eye Care Professional, it is your duty and obligation to see that they have a spare pair for any emergency ("out of town emergencies", or, how many times have we had patients get upset with US because we can't do their poly with A/R in their 3 piece mounting THE day they go on vacation). At least present them a spare pair before they walk out the door the first time, it doesn't have to have all the "bells and whistles", and hopefully would dramatically decrease the number of POF rush jobs you'll have to do.

  16. #16
    OptiBoard Apprentice
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    US
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    26
    All good stuff! Thanks Everyone.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Triumph Frame Tracers Available NOW
    By Leo Hadley Jr in forum Optical Marketplace
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 09-11-2007, 12:18 PM
  2. Finishing Tracers
    By The Mighty Mutt in forum General Optics and Eyecare Discussion Forum
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 09-21-2006, 11:40 AM
  3. Gerber Triumph Frame Tracers
    By offaxis in forum Optical Marketplace
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 09-19-2006, 06:04 PM
  4. Tracers and Edgers, Optronics
    By Jim Stone in forum Optical Marketplace
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 05-20-2004, 10:42 AM
  5. Coburn IQ CNC edger and tracers
    By Refractingoptician.com in forum General Optics and Eyecare Discussion Forum
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 08-20-2001, 09:14 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •